Nathan Mavila has revealed that he almost quit football for good after he was released by West Ham in 2016.
Now playing for National League South club Hampton & Richmond, the 23-year-old is preparing for an FA Cup First Round clash against League Two’s Oldham on Monday night, but he wouldn’t be gearing up for the clash if it wasn’t for his agent Romel Atkins.
Mavila has admitted that he was left feeling depressed after his exit from the Hammers, and there was a point where he almost retired all together.
“When I was struggling to find a club when I left West Ham, I was quite depressed and alone,” Mavila told ITV News. “As much as people say they know what I was going through, I didn’t think anyone did and the only ones who I did allow my mind to accept their advice was ex-pros or professionals.”
He added: “There was a time I wanted to pack it in and he [Atkins] really helped me carry on.”
OPINION
Mavila is one of a very large number of footballers who fail to make it at top clubs in England. If you think about how many youngsters go through the academy at clubs and then the number of players who actually get to play in the first team, it is no surprise that players like Mavila ends up being released and with no idea what to do with himself. Luckily, Mavila looks as though he has a really good agent in Atkins, who not only helped him get over the depression, but also helped him find a new club. The left-back has had plenty of clubs since leaving the Hammers in 2016. He has been on the books at Maidstone, Cambridge City, Wealdstone, Wingate, Leyton Orient and now Hampton & Richmond, who are currently 16th in the National League South. It will be interesting to see how his side gets on against Oldham on Monday. There could be a huge shock on the cards.